Bolster mechanism of the fifth wheel type



Feb. 24, 1948.

F. c. oxy BOLSTER MECHANISM OF THE FIFTH WHEEL TYPE Filed Feb. 7; 1945 INVENTOR. fim f Patented Feb. 24, 1948 Frank C. Roxy,

WHEEL TYPE Detroit, Mich, assignor to Dan M. Schoonover'and Albert Franta, both of Van Dyke, Mich.

Application February 7, 1945, Serial No. 576,547

. 8 Claims. "(CL 280-331) This invention relates to improvements in" bolster mechanism of the fifth wheel type par ticularly designed to support the front axle "of a truckupon the rear end'of another vehicle for haul away purposes.

An object is to provide such a bolster mechanism which is simple and inexpensive and is of rugged construction and which will receive the front axle of a haul away truck to support the front end of such haul away truck whereby it may be readily and conveniently towed by the vehicle equipped with the bolster.

In the transportation of vehicle from the point of manufacture or from a distribution point to' other parts of the country it is common practice to provide a driver for one vehicle which driver occupied vehicle is employed to tow a second vehicle. It is also common practice to elevate:- the front end of the towed vehicle and support it upon the rear end of the towing vehicle, To

support the towed vehicle upon the rear end of the towing vehicle, a bolster structure of some kind is commonly built up.

An object of the bolster structure herein described is designed to be readily attached to the frame of the towing vehicle and to so support the towed vehicle as to accommodate the various angular movements which occur between the towed vehicle and towing vehicle during travel over-the road. This improved bolster structure is also so designed as to be convenient for storage and transportation in order that it may be returned to its place of origin.

Another object is to provide such a bolster mechanism which is so constructed as to permit angular fifth wheel turning of the towed vehicle with respect to the towing vehicle and which towed vehicle has its front axle so rockably cradled upon the bolster as to permit rockable movement about a horizontal axis as the vehicles travel on even road surfaces, and which bolster mechanism may be quickly and conveniently attached to or detached from a truck frame and which is light in weight and convenient for handling, storage and shipment.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious features will more fully appear from the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a truck provided with this improved bolster mechanism supporting the front end of another truck.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the bolster taken on line 22 of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective of a fragment of the bolster mechanism.

In the drawing, the side frame members of the towing vehicle are indicated as 10. The towed vehicle is indicated as I2 and is Provided with a front axle M. .In Figure 1 the wheels are shown as removed from {the front axle of the towed vehicle for purpose of clarity and illustration. The this application comprises a bolster frame mem' her it which is in the form of an inverted U and whioh defines ends 29 of the frame member are provided with clips 22 held thereto by bolts 24 whereby the bolster frame may be quickly attached to the channel side frames III of the towing vehicle. Each clip engages the under surface of the upper flange of the side frame of the towing truck." Each clip is shown as held by two bolts 24 to an end Ell of the frame member, and such end portion is shown as provided with a cut-out 25 adapted to be received over a rivet carried by the frame l0.

Cradle mechanism is journaled upon the supporting surface l8 and this cradle mechanism comprises a cradle support which includes a circular plate 26, which plate is rotatably supported upon the platform means of a bolt or king pin 28, and which plate is provided with apair of upright supports 30 which carry an upwardly open tubular support 32. The platform supporting surface I8 is provided with fore-and-aft upright arcuate ledges 34 adjacent the circumference of the circular plate 25 and designed to relieve the king pin 28 of strain.

A cradle is formed from an upwardly open tubular section 36 provided at opposite ends, beyond the ends of the support 32, with end blocks 38. These end blocks 38 are welded or otherwise secured to the ends of section 36 and are notched as at 4! to receive therein the front axle of a vehicle to be towed. Pins 42 or the like are threaded through the end blocks 38 to hold the axle in place therein. The cradle section 36 is rotatably seated within the tubular support 32 as shown in the figures of the drawing for rockable movement about the common axis of these two tubular sections. The tubular section 36 preferably projects beyond the margin of the opening in the tubular section 32 so as to facilitate rockable movement of the towed vehicle with respect to the towing vehicle.

bolster mechanism which forms the basis of an upper platform surface IS. The

l8 being pivoted thereto by It is apparent that when the front axle of the towed vehicle is supported within the cradle that full fifth wheel turning movement between the two vehicles is provided for by the rotatable movement of the cradle supporting plate 26 about the king plays arid iirfadditio ele may rockwith the cradle section idiidthm the section 32 about a horizontal axis to accommodate for uneven road conditions. The bolster mechanism may be quickly attacli id to tlie ear end of a towing vehicle and the front axl'e ota vehicle to be towed may be quickly placed therein and secured in position for towing.

What I claim is:

1. In bolster mechanism gi t r a ter de; scribed, a bolster frame, a fifth our'naid thereupon for rotation about a vertical axis and an axle supporting cradle journaled upon the fifth wheel for rockablfmovementabouta hori- 'zontal axis and comprising separates "open channel part arcuate in cross's eet' i'g'in fiic'dto and extending diametrically the" thl'r fheel and an upwardly open channel arcua'te in cross section rockablyi meiiatea witmasaie first mentioned channelpart. T, V I

2. In bolster mechanismbrf tiie"'ei1ai-acter described, a'bolster frar'n'efa thwhel plate supported in a flat nonmetal. pent 4* rotation about a ver'ticalax plate defining a horizontalt supportsuperimposingfthe vertical horizontal ar'cuate tubularax support ng cradle nested within *s rd sep' rt;r'id raeratie mevement about a horizontal x '3. In bolster melianisinof the' character-de scribed, a bolster name -afaan e ieer e ning thereupon ffofrf'rotationjabout a erneai axis said a' d ii e ii eli lr ee iii "t e "re -l tical axis and" an upwardly open axle] supporting ar'cuate cradlereeivedandiournaiedwithin said 511mm for r k lee fqrea.-.,.eb9 te-beer zontal axis extending'diametrically the-'vertical axis. I H

f4. In beister 'iaeehaais means fo releasalrglyr s cradle for, SUPDOrt thereby.

5.' In bolster mechanism, a bolster frame' deing'e ecur ing an-axle wi-thinsaid;

fining a supporting platform, a, fifth wheel plate journaled upon said platform for rotation about a. vertical axis, an upwardly open cylindrical cradle support mounted upon said plate and exhorizontally thereof, an upwardly open cy 'al cradle 'vlriithin 'said cradle siipport for r'ockable movement about its hori- 15 form, a fifth wheel circular plate supported flat (i156'ni said jflatfbrin for rotation about a vertical axial-king. pin, said platform provided with up- 'standinig' fore-and aft ledges adjacent to the circumjerence of said plate'to relieve the king pin of to radial thrustfonthe plate, a "'axle'supporting d 'adie moiihted upon Y said plate "for 'rockable movement"aboutafhorizontal axis'j and means for securing 'an axle' withinsaid cradle for support thereby.

In bolster mechanism an inverted U shaped bolster frame'provided at its-ends with means Wherebydtjmay besecured to thejf'rame oft. truck; a fifth wheel";- ournaled -upon the "inverted bottom of said frame for rotation aboiit a vertical 30 a'Xi's and-an 'iipwardlyfopn channel shaped aizle supporting horizontally "extending "cradle "1 ourii'ale'd u'pon'said fifth wheel" for roek'able' movemientabout'a'hori'ziontal axis.

"'8. Inbol'ster'i'rie'c a"b olster frame havridsa'daptdto bee urea tovhicle chas sis,

pert g plane-ragga pan ertube ar fs'ctidns bne Within the other for relative ibtaltiofi iibbut 'i ts" Iinear'am "'a id sebtibnsl" provided do espofiding linear Siamleaseseparating "the diite'i tebuiar'seneaupen said pl atforni for-rotation about a vertical aliiis, meaasrer securin an: axl within the i'nner return: section for supv The following references are-bf record in the ear en srares pmen 'aaaaaiiaai. dramas,- r929 

